The Setter in Volleyball: Position and Movement

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What is a Setter in Volleyball?

The Setter in Volleyball is the player responsible for strategizing the team’s attack plays in Volleyball by using the Set.

Main Features of a Setter in Volleyball

A few of the features of a Setter in Volleyball are:

Sharp technique regarding the Setting skills (Volley and Bump);
Accuracy in Sets;
Good vision and reading of his or her team’s game and of the opponent’s game;
Intelligence to pick the best Attack option;
Mental toughness to remain focused during stressing moments.

IMPORTANT NOTE! A Setter cannot give in in any situation. This may jeopardize the entire Volleyball team offensive formation.

Role of the Setter in Volleyball

The role of the Setter in Volleyball is to perform the Sets, that is, to distribute the ball and strategize the Attacks of his or her team.

The Set is almost always the 2nd touch on the ball done by a team. It happens after the Pass (reception of the service or defense) and must set the ball to an Attack.

Therefore, from the 3 touches a team in Volleyball is allowed to make, the Set is the 2nd touch on the ball.

Setter Position and Movement

Learn and understand the positions and movements in court of a Setter in Volleyball.

Setter Position in Volleyball

The Setter in Volleybal, just like any other player, must follow the rotation order, that is, he or she occupies each of the 6 rotation positions during the game.

The best position for a Setter is between positions 2 and 3 (right side of the attack zone at the net).

But what to do when the Setter is in positions 4, 5, 6 or 1 during rotation? See below.

Bad Pass and Set far from net

When the pass coming from the Service reception or from the defense is not well performed and the ball is sent away from the net, the Setter has to go towards the ball, regardless of the where the ball has been sent to.

In this situation, there is no such thing as a predefined movement. The Setter has to chase the ball and use technical resources to correct the pass and make the best Set that he or she possibly can.

Setter Movements and Infiltration

Understand the Setter movements in Volleyball when this player is not in his or her ideal position for a Set and his or her team is RECEIVING the Serve.

The movements of a Setter depend on the team formation.

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NOTE: These Setter movements are with respect to the situation in which the Setter’s team is RECEIVING the Service. When a team is under attack, the Setter’s participation depends on other variables. We will discuss those in the end of this article.

See below the Setter movements in each Volleyball Formation.

Setter in the 6-0 Formation

The 6-0 Formation in Volleyball is used in sports initiation and is characterized by not having specialized players. Therefore, there is not a specific Setter in the 6-0 formation.

In the 6-0 formation, the player that stands at the center of the net during the rotation (position 3 of the attack zone) is the Setter in that moment, that is, there is no need for any movements or infiltration because the Setter is always at the center of the attack zone in the 6-0 formation.

As we have said, there is not any Setting specialist in the 6-0 formation. At each rotationn, a different player takes the role of Setter (the one that stands at position 3 in the attack zone).

Setter in the 4-2 Formation in Volleyball

The 4-2 formation is an intermediate level formation where there are 2 Setters. They stand opposite to each other in the rotation. Therefore, there is always a Setter at the net (attack zone), which makes the movements and positioning for the Set easier to perform by the Setter.

Setter in position 4 – in this case, the player has to move to the center of the attack zone towards the position 2, switching positions with the middle hitter or with the outside hitter.

Since in the 4-2 formation there is always a Setter at the net (attack zone), the Setter in position 4 is in the only position which demands greater amount of movement from the Setter standing at the net.

Setter in 4-2 formation with Infiltration

The 4-2 formation with infiltration is an advanced level formation where there are also two Setters standing opposite to each other. However, when the team receives the Service, the Setter positioned in the back zone INFILTRATES the attack zone to perform the Set, while the Setter in the attack zone becomes an attacker.

The Setter in positions 1, 6 and 5 – when the Setter is in any defensive position in the rotation, he or she infiltrates towards position 2 to perform the Set.

An advantage of the 4-2 formation with infiltration is that when the Setter in the back zone takes part in the defense against an opponent attack, there is another Setter to perform the Set.

Setter in 5-1 Formation in Volleyball

The 5-1 Formation is a high level formation in Volleyball, where all of the players have specialized functions, the Setter, among them.

In the 5-1 Formation, the Setter moves little when he or she is in the attack zone (positions 2, 3 and 4 in the rotation) and infiltrates when in the back zone (positions 1, 6 and 5).

Setter in Position 4 – he or she needs to move to the center of the attack zone towards position 2, switching positions with the Middle Hitter or with the Opposite Hitter.
Setter in positions 1, 6 and 5 – when the Setter is in defensive positions in the rotation, he or she infiltrates towards position 2 to perform the Set.

Setter Movements in Defense – 5-1 Formation

We now discuss what happens when the Setter is in the back zone and his or her team, while in 5-1 Formation, is under attack.

The other formations do not face this problem. In the 6-0 and 4-2, regular and with infiltration, there is always a Setter in the attack zone.

The Setter in the back zone, while his or her team is under attack, must position him of herself always in position 1.
In case the Setter defends the ball, the Set has to be perfomed by another player, not specialized in Setting, usually, the Libero.
In case the Setter does not defend the ball, he or she infiltrates from position 1 to position 2 to perform the Set.